After being almost constantly on the move for a week we felt we were in need of down time and Inle Lake was the perfect spot. Situated in the mountains this gorgeous lake felt like a haven after the bustle of a city.

Staying in Nyaungshwe was like living in the the wild west. Horse carts, wide dusty streets and little wooden tables and chairs on the pavement. Magic! Like the rest of Myanmar it basically shuts down by 9.30pm meaning enforced early nights.

Upon venturing out to explore our tiny town we were accosted on the street by Mr Chib, a 93 year old man who wanted to show us his temple. As he proudly walked us around the 2000 year old buildings I was again reminded of how amazing these people are in wanting to share their country with us. 

The lake itself is amazing. And huge. 21km long & 11km wide. Surrounded on 2 sides by mountains & countless little villages, it is almost postcard perfect. Not within easy walking distance but can be biked – though every bone in your body will jar on the roads.

After making our way towards the lake and constantly asking for directions I was beginning to wonder if this lake even existed. Eventually, after being stared at by men walking oxes and women balancing baskets on their heads (and I was the one out of place!) we were adopted by a local.

He rode his motorbike ahead of us and we followed on our trusty steads. He guided us through a village to an old shed where there were women making tofu! The tofu is famous in this place, made from yellow split peas. And they fry it, making it like a cracker. Interesting!

(The end result)

After surviving such a ride we caught a boat to the other side of the lake and headed for a winery. Seems a strange location for a winery but all things considered it wasn’t too bad. And it had a stunning view.

Exploring the lake by boat there was a steady stream of traffic coming the other way. Boats with sacks & crates almost spilling over the sides. Most were carrying tomatoes, as over 80% of Myanmar’s tomatoes are produced here. 

It feels as huge as it looks, taking more than an hour to get to Inn Dein, a site of old ruins. The trip itself was so beautiful, seeing the one legged rowers and the locals fishing in the lake. At one point two fisherman in the lake stood up in unison to move their conical nets, just like synchronized swimmers.